Jewish Tribune: Defining a Mensch

Originally published 6/10/11, 10:15 am. Link no longer works.
What bothered me in Rick Salutin's article questioning the use of the word mensch in connection to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was not Mr. Salutin's view of Mr. Harper per se but rather his view of Judaism. Why does every Jew just by the fact that he or she is Jewish believe they are an expert on Judaism or even Jewishness? One of the hallmarks of this thought, as the Maharal points out, is that nothing is black and white. In my latest Jewish Tribune article, available at http://www.jewishtribune.ca/TribuneV2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4429&Itemid=53 I further develop this thought in connection to this critique of Mr. Harper.

Rabbi Ben Hecht

After Which Cheeses Need I wait to eat meat?

Originally published on 6/3/11, 1:37 pm. Link no longer works.
After Which Cheeses Need I wait to eat meat?
I'm glad you asked. As per a common Minhag the following list has been prepared. Thanks to R Avrohom Gordimer for the "heads up"

Aged Cheese List | OUkosher.org

Shalom,
RRW

Mussar: Silence is Golden

Originally published 4/23/11. Link has difficulties.
Could this popular proverb -
"Silence is golden; speech is silver"
- American Proverb quotes
Be an adaptation of this quote from R Yehudah Hechossid?  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DerechEmet/message/93
Sefer Chasidim, chapter 37:
"Silence is better than additional speech,
because silence causes you honor and glory and
increasing speech causes humiliation and disgrace."

Shalom,
RRW

OU Passover Parameters - R Schachter and R Belsky

Originally posted 4/13/11, 9:58 pm. Link no longer works.
OUradio.org : Channel
http://www.ouradio.org/ouradio/channel/ou_kosher_pre-pesach_webcast_5770

Shalom,
RRW

cRc Passover Faqs

Originally published 4/12/11, 10:55 am. Link no longer works.
http://www.crcweb.org/passover_2011%20FAQ.pdf

Note the article on Tums is of particular interest.

Shalom,
RRW

The Arba Parshiot

Originally published 3/4/11, 11:19 am. Link no longer works.
As we begin the Arba Parshiot this week with, of course, Parshat Shekalim, we invite to take a look at
Insight 5756-12: From Purim to Pesach
at
http://www.nishma.org/articles/insight/spark5756-12.html 

The True Miracle of Hanukkah

Originally published 12/8/10, 7:34 am. Link no longer works.
'Tis the season for "Feel-Good Stories"
NYT: Metropolitan Diary

«As I opened the box, I saw that the good Samaritan had written the following note: "This is the The true miracle of Hanukkah"»

Shalom,
RRW

The Need for Policy

Originally published 11/24/10, 3:10 pm. Link no longer works.
The nature of Torah education is to focus on detail. There is a need, however, to also focus on the big picture, the macro vs the micro. I further develop this idea in my latest Jewish Tribune article.

In the upcoming year, the need for policy will be an important focus of Nishma. With this in mind, I invite you to read this article and to participate in this investigation of policy.

Rabbi Ben Hecht

Times have changed, not kashrut laws

Originally published 11/16/10, 10:24 pm. Link no longer works. 
Nishma's Rabbi Hecht is quoted on the "serious lack of understanding of kashrut and of Jewish law" that exists in the Jewish community in this Canadian Jewish News article.

Remembering the Sabbath Day - Keeping it Holy

Originally published 7/23/10, 10:14 am. Link no longer works.
Cultural Studies - Creating Sabbath Peace in a Beeping World - NYTimes.com
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2010/07/18/fashion/18Cultural.xml
Shalom
RRW

Jewish Tribune: Homosexuality and Orthodox Judaism

Originally published 1/25/10, 11:40 pm. Link no longer works.
The following is a link to my latest Tribune article:

http://www.jewishtribune.ca/TribuneV2/index.php/201001272561/Homosexuality-and-Orthodox-Judaism.html

RBH

Yerushalayim Must Maintain Jewish Sovereignty

Originally published 7/1/08, 12:50 pm. Link no longer works.
An article in regard to the sovereignty of Yerushalayim -- with a bit of a twist -- by Nishma's Founding Director, Rabbi Benjamin Hecht, was recently published in the Jewish Tribune (Toronto).

To see the article on line, go to http://www.jewishtribune.ca/TribuneV2/content/view/729/53/.

Rabbi Riskin on Conversion

Originally published 6/18/08, 12:16 AM. Link doesn't work.
A provocative posting by Rabbi Shlomoh Riskin
--
Kol Tuv / Best Regards,
RabbiRichWolpoe@Gmail.com

My favorite night of the year has always been the night of Shavuot, when I go from hill to hill of the seven hills of my beloved city of Efrat, giving Torah study class after Torah study class until the early-morning daybreak service.

....

This year, however was different. Instead of joyous songs, I heard jarring sobs. Instead of the Torah scrolls in the arks and the Torah books on the shelves dancing with rapture and rejoicing, they reeled with dismay and disappointment. The very letters of black fire were weeping, the very parchment of white fire was wilting.
Yes, this Shavuot night, my beloved Torah was crying.

For the remainder of this article please visit:
Jerusalem Post Article

Kinder, Gentler Orthodoxy?

Originally published 6/8/08, 5:01 PM. Link is dead.
Article of Interest...
Kol Tuv / Best Regards,
RabbiRichWolpoe@Gmail.com

ARTICLE ADVOCATES THAT
THE MODERN ORTHODOX SHOULD REACH OUT TO OTHER DENOMINATIONS
AND DISTANCE ITSELF FROM SELECT ULTRA-ORTHODOX POLICIES

June 6, 2008 – The inaugural issue of the journal Conversations includes an article by Targum Shlishi's director, Aryeh Rubin, entitled "Toward a Kinder, Gentler, More Tolerant and Flexible Orthodoxy." The article, which is pasted below and also linked to, contends that the modern Orthodox should play a leading role in healing the rift between different denominations, and should provide guidance and direction to a much wider range of Jews than only the modern Orthodox.

Conversations is published by the Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals, which offers a vision of Orthodox Judaism that is intellectually sound, spiritually compelling, and emotionally satisfying."

Link to article: Link Here

Text of article:

Toward a Kinder, Gentler, More Tolerant and Flexible Orthodoxy
By Aryeh Rubin

Since the end of World War II, both in America and Israel, Jews have been at odds with one another for political, ethnic, ideological, religious and/or denominational reasons. That different groups have divergent worldviews has been the case since Biblical times. But the competing factions today appear more hostile than ever before. The Orthodox -- particularly the ultra-Orthodox with their high birth rates, expanding schools systems, and increased political clout, coupled with a sense of triumphalism -- are often perceived as the most vociferous and intolerant participants in these internecine squabbles of our people. ...--

Potential Split in Orthodoxy?

Originally published 5/13/08, 12:52 PM. Link to The Jewish Week no longer works.
Dr. Marc Shapiro's recent comments in the Jewish Week -- See

http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c55_a9351/Editorial__Opinion/Opinion.html# have initiated much discussion and debate. There is no doubt a growing friction between the Charedi and Modern Orthodox world, yet Dr. Shapiro's suggestion that MO should, so to speak, break away from the Charedi world has an essential problem for MO. It will demand the MO not maintain one of its fundamental principles.

The essence of Modern Orthodoxy can be viewed from two perspectives. One is the specific behaviour of MO that distinguishes it from the behaviour of, let us say, the Charedi world. For example, MO is more favourable to the State of Israel. Of course this distinction is not absolute. There are Charedi individuals with positive feelings for the State and MO individuals who are more distant from the State but this distinction in behaviour generally stands. In a variety of behaviour there is a distinction between the Charedi world and the MO world and how one personally behaves will define which world he or she is in or he or she is put in.

There is though another major distinction between the MO world and the Charedi world and that is the distinction based on wisdom and authority. The Charedi world advocates for the value of authority -- thus its fostering of commitment to the Gedolim simply in their person of Gadol. The MO world values wisdom, thus even as they also have Gedolim, it fosters allegiance to these Gedolim because of the arguments that these Gedolim present to support their positions. Of course this dividing line is not absolute and, as there is value in both authority and wisdom, one may find the advocacy of each value, at some time, in both communities, yet there is a greater stress on authority in the Charedi world, and in wisdom in the MO world. (For more on the issue of authority and wisdom, see my article Authority and Wisdom: the Slifkin Affair.

The result is the following. The Charedi world has an easier time discounting the opinion of one scholar, even a great Torah scholar, outside of its orbit. What it ultimately values is allegiance to the position of its Gedolim, simply as authority and discounts the value of wisdom, per se, especially wisdom that points to an opposing position. Yet in the MO world, the opinion of even a singular scholar cannot so easily be dismissed, for the wisdom that may be found in this viewpoint is valued and desired. MO scholars study the Satmar Rav, the Chazon Ish and other similar Charedi gedolim because MO wishes to embrace the entire spectrum of opinions and gain an appreciation of the entire realm of Torah thought. As such, the Charedim can more easily set up parameters that push their viewpoint for the wisdom in an opposing viewpoint falls in the face of the authrity the the Charedi position and the person of the Charedi Gedolim. That is not so for MO. It will always see value in knowing and studying the position of all Torah scholars even those out of the Charedi world and, as such, give respect to all Torah scholars.

So to call for what Dr. Shapiro is asking really presents a problem for, in a way, it is a call for MO not act as MO.

Rabbi Ben Hecht

Tzvia Greenfield of Meretz

Originally published 5/1/08, 12:57 AM. Link no longer works.

Left-wing firebrand via haredi seminary
By MATTHEW WAGNER

In the fall of 1968, Tzvia Greenfield, an intense 19-yearold philosophy student, stood on the lawn of the Hebrew University's Givat Ram campus warning her peers that it would be a big mistake to keep the newly conquered territories.

Most, intoxicated by the miraculous victory and dreaming of the fulfillment of ancient biblical promises, resisted Greenfield's passionate arguments, which seemed incongruous with her appearance.

....

When asked by The Jerusalem Post what a "nice Haredi woman" was doing in Meretz, Greenfield said, "For years Meretz has been saying what I believe in. Literally everything on Meretz's platform is in line with my opinions. I believe in the individual's rights. I believe in
citizens' rights. I believe in rights for everyone, including Arabs. I believe in peace. And I also believe in working toward an agreement with the Palestinians. "I believe in the right to protection for both rich and poor. Society has an obligation to all citizens to foster solidarity, to make sure people are not thrown out on the street because they cannot support themselves.

"I am a social democrat," she continued
....

For Further Details see: Jerusalem Post Article

Kol Tuv / Best Regards,
RabbiRichWolpoe@Gmail.com

Compulsary and Voluntary

Originally published 4/28/08, 1:20 pm. Link no longer works.
The following is a most interesting article on a distinction, presented by the author, between compulsory and voluntary presentations of Judaism or Jewishness.
http://web.israelinsider.com/views/12803.htm
The author concludes that what is needed is a mixture of the two. What is so strange about this conclusion is the perception that accepting Judaism as compulsory or voluntary is a choice.
If it is compulsory, it is in fact a decision not based on choice but on external forces that impose this perception of reality upon someone. Rather than describing a distinction between compulsory and voluntary Judaism, the author would have done a more important service in attempting to define why someone wishes to define himself/herself as a Jew.
That may also bring one back to a discussion of whether one feels compelled to be Jewish or simply chooses to be Jewish but in attempting to define the basic motivation for Jewishness, there is greater potential for discussing the issue and describing the underlying motivations for any type of Jewishness.

Rabbi Ben Hecht

The Chametz Battle: Policy Concerns in Halachic Reasoning

Originally published 4/22/08, 9:34 AM, Eastern Daylight Time.Link no longer works
To be honest, I have only marginally been following the debate in Israel over the chametz law, so in many ways, I am really not prepared to comment. I found it interesting, though, to have found out that the judge who sparked this whole debate is actually observant. See http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1208179714721&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull.
This fact must inform us that the issue is not simple a battle between leftist forces attempting to liberalize Israel and observant forces attempting to foster a fully observant Israel. There is much more to the debate. In many ways, it may really be about how Orthodoxy should relate to the non-Orthodox.

Of course, at the root of Orthodoxy is a principle that observance of mitzvot is a requirement of all Jews. Kol Yisrael aravin zeh l'zeh. We all are guarantors for each other before God. The question is how to achieve this goal.
The law of lifnei iver, causing another or assisting another to violate halacha is pivotal in this regard. An investigation of this law, though, reveals a most interesting perception of the law by various commentators. They understand the law to be based on policy rather than the usual technical understanding of the law. In general, a law is concerned with specific behaviour without contemplation of the consequences of this behaviour. With policy considerations, consequences become important considerations.
So the question emerges in the mitzvah of lifnei iver. Is the prohibition technical, ie is its focus the specific technical behaviour before us? IOW is it absolutely forbidden for me to pass a piece of pork to another Jew (given the specific circumstances of lifner iver)? Or is the prohibition to consider policy considerations? Am I thus to consider how the person will respond to my not passing the pork and evaluate whether in not passing the pork, I will develop a negative response to Orthodox Jews that will ensure that this person will continue eating pork in the future, rather than passing the pork in this circumstance and developing a relationship with this person that may have more positive Torah implications in the future? Technical means the only concern is the battle; policy means the concern in the entire war.

Now of course, the issue in not black-and-while. Of course, if you can politely not pass the pork without evoking a strong negative reaction from the other person, that would be best. There must also be the consideration that in passing the pork, the person may incorrectly interpret your behaviour as permitting him/her to eat the pork and that you accept a pluralism of Jewish standards that is incorrect -- with further potential negative consequences.
Understanding lifner iver as a policy statement actually makes it much more complex, demanding more thorough analsyis of each situation. It may be that because we want things to be simple, we tend to gravitate to the technical -- that way we have the one right answer. The reality may be though that the issue is actually a policy one and what is really demanded is thought.

As I do not know the actual details of the chametz law, I really don't have a definite position on it. There are policy reasons for both sides. The key though is to recognize that it is, according to many commentators, a policy matter and, as such, demands thought and analysis. The rhetoric on both sides must end, in order to fulfil the goal of obseving the mitzvah of lifnei iver.

Rabbi Ben Hecht